Indentation hardness meter

Abstract

An impression made in a specimen is imaged by a one-dimensional scanning image sensing device, and in the case of the impression being quadrangular pyramidal, a signal representing the length of its diagonal are generated from the image output, and in the case of the impression being spherical, a signal representing its diameter is generated from the image output. The scanning by the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device does not cover the area of the impression over the entire width thereof but instead the scanning is effected for a first region of a small width which, in the case of the impression being quadrangular pyramidal, contains its first diagonal and, in the case of the impression being sperical, contains its diameter in a first direction. Next, when the impression is quadrangular pyramidal, the scanning is performed for a second of a small width which contains a second diagonal of the impression, or third and fourth regions which contains two vertexes of the second diagonal of the impression and is parallel to the first region.

We claim: 
     
       1. An indentaion hardness meter, characterized by the provision of: a specimen table for placing a specimen having made therein a quadrangular pyramidal (or spherical) impression;   an image sensing device mount provided with a sliding board having mounted thereon a one-dimensional scanning image sensing device for imaging the impression of the specimen by scanning it;   sliding board drive means for sliding the sliding board relative to the specimen table to a plurality of position where the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device scans and images, along a plurality of lines parallel to a first line representing the length of a first diagonal (or the diameter) of the impression, a region of the impression which contains the first line and has a width smaller than the length of a second line representing the length of a second diagonal (or the diameter perpendicular to the first line) of the impression; and   length-signal generating means for generating from the image output of the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device a length signal representing the length of the first line.   
     
     
       2. An indentation hardness meter, characterized by the provision of: a specimen table for placing a specimen having made therein a quadrangular pyramidal (or spherical) impression;   an image sensing device mount provided with a sliding board having mounted thereon a one-dimensional scanning image sensing device for imaging the impression of the specimen by scanning it and a rotary board rotatably supporting the sliding board;   rotary board drive means for turning the rotary board relative to the specimen table between a first rotational position where the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device images the impression by scanning it along a line parallel to a first line representing the length of a first diagonal (or the diameter) of the impression and a second rotational position where the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device images the impression by scanning it along a line parallel to a second line representing the length of a second diagonal (or the diameter perpendicular to the first line) of the impression;   sliding board drive means for sliding the sliding board relative to the specimen table to a plurality of positions where when the rotary board assumes the first rotational position, the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device scans and images, along a plurality of lines parallel to the first line, a region of the impression which contains the first line and has a width smaller than the length of the second line, and where when the rotary board assumes the second rotational position, the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device scans and images, along a plurality of lines parallel to the second line, a region of the impression which contains the second line and has a width smaller than the length of the first line; and   length-signal generating means for generating from the image output of the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device a first length signal representing the length of the first line and a second length signal representing the length of the second line.   
     
     
       3. An indentation hardness meter, characterized by the provision of: a specimen table for placing a specimen having made therein a quadrangular pyramidal (or spherical) impression;   an image sensing device mount provided with a sliding board having mounted thereon a one-dimensional scanning image sensing device for imaging the impression of the specimen by scanning it;   sliding board drive means for sliding the sliding board relative to the specimen table to a plurality of positions where the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device scans and images, along a plurality of lines parallel to a first line representing the length of a first diagonal (or the diameter) of the impression, a first region of the impression which contains the first line and has a width smaller than the length of a second line representing the length of a second diagonal (or the diameter perpendicular to the first line) of the impression, and a plurality of positions where the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device scans and images, along a plurality of lines parallel to the first line, a second region of the impression which contains one free end of the second line and has a width smaller than the length the second line; and   length-signal generating means for generating from the image output of the one-dimensional scanning image sensing device a first length signal representing the length of the first line and a second length signal representing the length of the second line.